The Derby Red Raiders (6-7) lost just three players from their championship team, but injuries and lack of depth combined to give them a rough start this season.

"Everything that could go wrong did," said Coach Sumner Sochrin.

Nevertheless, Derby's three-game upswing continued through three innings Monday.

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Derby's Sal Frosceno took advantage of a one-out walk in the bottom of the first to establish a lead. Michael Kreiger (3-for-4) followed him with a single. Zach Volo hit a sacrifice fly to the left field fence, scoring Frosceno, 1-0.

Then Frosceno, a left-handed pitcher, no-hit Torrington (6-6) for three innings.

Torrington's Nate Manchester, a freshman in his third start, came out of a rocky first inning with a one-two-three second, then showed all his confidence escaping a jam in the third. With two outs, Frosceno grounded down the third base line. Kreiger followed with a single to left, then stole second while Frosceno waited on third.

Manchester froze Derby's cleanup hitter with a full-count curve for the third strike in the inning's final out.

"He's really consistent. He hits his spots," said Torrington catcher Ben Thompson, a junior who's formed a great partnership with Manchester in his own first year as a starter.

"Most of the time, he's telling me where to put it," said Manchester.

The combination works. Lead-off Derby hitter Soto reached on an error in the top of the fourth. Thompson threw him out by six feet trying to steal second.

"It's thanks to (last year's starting catcher Victor Rodriguez, out this year with an injury)," said Thompson. "I'm working hard with him."

The Raiders escaped the inning after another error and two more walks loaded the bases. A strikeout and fly to center field left them full.

Torrington was back for another run in the fifth. John McCarthy drew a leadoff walk, reached second on a wild pickoff throw, then scored on an error to right field, 3-1.

Torrington shortstop Stanley Rijo ended the top of the sixth inning with a double play on a line-drive and a throw to first.

In the bottom of the inning, Torrington piled up six hits and a hit batter for six more runs. Baker (2-for-3), Zagrodnik (hit by pitch), Cody Lemieux (RBI double), McCarthy (RBI single), Manchester (RBI single) and Ben Stone (two-run triple) all scored. Kyle Sanford finished the flurry with an RBI single.

Game over at 9-1?

Hardly.

Manchester started the seventh giving up a walk and a single.

"Nate was sitting around for a long time," said Torrington coach Pat Richardson, bringing Baker to the mound.

Derby greeted Baker with four hits and five runs before Ben Stone gathered in the final out in center field.

Each team ended with nine hits.

"We had key hits when we needed them," said Richardson.

"We didn't play very well," said Derby coach Sochrin. "We didn't hit the ball when we were supposed to."